Ogunquit: Voters support drawbridge repairs

OGUNQUIT — All four local questions on the Ogunquit ballot passed with large percentages of voters approving the charter changes and repairs to the Perkins Cove drawbridge.

Comment

By Samantha Stephens

seacoastonline.com

By Samantha Stephens

Posted Nov. 8, 2012 at 2:00 AM

By Samantha Stephens

Posted Nov. 8, 2012 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

OGUNQUIT — All four local questions on the Ogunquit ballot passed with large percentages of voters approving the charter changes and repairs to the Perkins Cove drawbridge.

Town Clerk Judy Shaw-Kagilary said 78 percent of Ogunquit residents turned out to vote, making it a very successful local election.

"Everything was fine. There were no issues and there was an outstanding turnout for same-day voting registration," Shaw-Kagilary said.

Shaw-Kagilary said there were 370 absentee ballots taken from town hall and only six were not returned. Previously the record was 351 absentee ballots.

"Question 1 (gay marriage) went very well in Ogunquit and throughout the state," she said.

The local ballot included three proposals for charter amendments and one budget question to approve $25,000 in repairs and maintenance to the Perkins Cove drawbridge which was passed with 799 yes votes and 102 votes in opposition of the repairs. Fourteen ballots were left blank.

The second question on the ballot, a proposed charter change that allows Select Board members to abstain from voting by voting "present" on issues on which they have no opinion or insufficient information to make a decision, passed with 708 votes to 158 votes. Forty-nine ballots were left blank.

The third question proposed that the board become the "acting judge of elections" and be given the authority to subpoena witnesses and require the publication of records. The question passed with 604 votes and 239 voted in opposition; 72 ballots were left blank.

The last question proposed that the Marginal Way be reinstated into the charter, after being removed in 2008, under the power of the town to lay out, construct, repair and otherwise maintain the popular walking path. Also listed under the "power of the town" are public parking lots, public walks and parks, beaches and public wharves and buildings. The question passed with 793 votes to 91 votes; 31 ballots were left blank.